Adjustable register for air flow



July 24, 1962 s. E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,045,580

ADJUSTABLE REGISTER FOR AIR FLOW Filed Aug. 4, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet l July 24, 1962 s. E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,045,580

ADJUSTABLE REGISTER FOR AIR FLOW Filed Aug. 4, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @7mm/feg@ July 24, 1962 s. E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,045,580

ADJUSTABLE REGISTER FR AIR FLOW Mm OW@ l V N' 1I i M41' l N-L-J/ y M g@ m m s W i.

f mi Ii f t N k wm) gm@ 925e @mw/@ wyw.,

The invention is generally characterized by the provision of an adjustable register device which includes a uni-tary box-like framework or housing having a plurality of angled louvers integral therewith. Said housing h-as at least one pair of shutter or bafiie members journalled for limited rotation therein and located to be able to close off one end of said housing. Actuating means are provided including a linkage between said shutter members and actuating means whereby said shutter can be opened or closed simultaneously from exterior of said device.

Said linkage has stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said shutter members so that the actuating means will always be accessible from exterior of the device.

lReferring now to FIG. l, the register embodying the invention is designated generally by the reference character 10 and is shown in operative position set into a wall duct which may be part of any typical air circulatory system capable of either heating or cooling an `area such as a room. The principal elements of the register 10 comprises generally a cover plate 12, a housing 14, actuating means 16 and shutter means 18.

The cover plate 12 comprises a relatively at rectangular stamping preferably of sheet metal having a rectangular window 13 therein. Suitable openings 15 are provided in plate 12 :for accommodating fasteners 17 for securing said cover plate to a wall 20. The marginal edges 21 of the plate 12 may be beveled and the openings l may be countersunk so as to preserve the relatively flat appearance of the register as viewed from the room in which it is installed.

The housing 14 preferably is of integral construction and may be formed yas by stamping, from `a single sheet of metal -as subsequently will be described. Said housing 14 is of substantially rectangular box-like conguration and has a front wall provided by a pair of laterally spaced apart coplanar members 22 and 23, a top wall 24, a bottom wall 25 substantially parallel to said top wall and a pair of substantially parallel side walls 26 and 27. A series of louvre members 28 are disposed in equal spaced relation between said members 22 and 23 and integral therewith. Said louvre members `are arranged in parallel planes between said members 22 and 23 and extend substantially the entire length of said members 22 and 23. Thus, the Ifront wall ofthe housing is formed by the pair of flat walls 22 and 23 and the louvres 28 which are integral with said walls. All of the louvres are arranged at substantially the same angle relative to the plane of said walls 23 and 24.

The Walls 24, 25, 26 and 27 of the housing 14 are integral with said front wall and arranged substantially perpendicular thereto. Each of the side Walls 26 and 27 has a bearing opening 31 for journalling of the shutters 18 v-between said side walls. The shutters 18 are provided by a pair of relatively flat sheet metal members 34 and 36 which are substantially identical. Each of said members Ihas an arcuate, longitudinally extending strengthening -rib 38 which protrudes beyond each of the opposite lateral edges of the member to` provide a pair of journals 3 2' adapted to be seated in the oppositely aligned bearing openings v31'. Each of said members 34 and 36 can be pivoted into a coplanar relationship one relative to the otherfor the purpose of closing oi the rear end of the housing 12. Each of the shutter members has an integral tab 41 bent substantially perpendicular thereto and adjacent a corner thereof. Each shutter member also may have a second strengthening rib `42 extending substantially Y grip means whereby the actuating means may be manually moved from the exterior of said housing 12. The straight edge of member 45 is provided with a substantially perpendicular tab member 49 integral therewith and adjacent one corner of member 45 and an additional tab member v51 spaced from said tab 49 and adjacent the opposite corner of said member 4-5. The member 45 is adapted to t over the rib 38, said rib being accommodated within the area between the tabs 49 and 51. The tab 49 is rigidly secured to the shutter member 36 as by welding on one side of rib 38 while tab 51 has a portion thereof bearing against the shutter member 36 on the opposite side of the rib 38.

The tabs 41 of each of the shutters 18 are provided with openings 57 and are linked by means 60 comprising a at rectangular plate 52. Said plate `52 has a narrow flange member 54 integral therewith and substantially perpendicular thereto. Said plate 52 is also provided with openings 55 therein and the edges of said `openings are provided with short integral cylindrical extensions 56 facing in the same direction as the flange 54 and each adapted to pass through openings 55 in the tab members 41 of the shutters 18. The cylindrical extensions 56 are adapted to be journalled in said openings 55 and then the edges of lsaid extensions are bent so as to overlap the inner edges of the openings 55 thereby forming an arcuate bearing surface whereby both tabs may be simultaneously pivoted upon actuation of the means 16. The ilange member 54 serves as a stop member to limit the movement of the shutters 1'8 preventing same from being opened past the point at which the planes of both shutters are parallel and where said planes are perpendicular to the vertical plane of the register 10. At this point, one edge of the tabs bears against the flange 54 thereby preventing movement past this point of maximum opening of the shutters.

During Athe movement of the shutters 18, the linkage 60 moves in a direction whereby the said ilange 54 remains always parallel lto the vertical plane of the register 10. The surface planes of said shutters 18 remain parallel to each other, proceed from substantially coplanar positions when said shutters are closed, to spaced but parallel planes when the shutters are fully opened.

Spring washers 57 are placed between the journals 32 of the actuating shutter 36 and the bearing openings 31 of the side walls thereby assuring a rm `axial engagement to enable any desired disposition of shutters frictionally to be maintained. Actuation of `the plate 45 will cause the actuating shutter 36 to pivot on its journals 32 and cause the simultaneous pivoting of the second or follower shutter 34 by means of the linkage means 60. Thus the shutters 34 and 36 are opened and/or closed in tandem.

The shutters 18 are arranged so that their surface planes are parallel when closed, and that the edge of the actuating shutter 36 nearest the elongate rib 38 slightly overlaps the lower edge of the follower shutter 34, and the lower edge of the actuator shutter slightly overlaps the edge of the bottom wall 25 of the enclosure.

Attention is now called to the FIG. 11 wherein is the blank member 70 of the one piece housing 14 shown at a stage in the manufacture thereof. A series of parallel evenly spaced U-shaped cuts 71 are made across the width of said blank `from one end continuously over the length thereof to the other end, the last cut being rectangular shaped with the legs of `the U being parallel to each other forming opening 72. The blank 70 is then placed in a press and the louvre members 28 are formed by bending back the cut portions at the particular angle desired. The only connection remaining between said louvres and the `frame is the uncut portions 73. At the same time, said flanges 24 and 25 are bent back whereby they are extending rearwardly and perpendicular to said portion as walls 24 and 25. Side flanges 26 and 27 likewise bend so that this surface plane is perpendicular to that of portions 22 and 23; however, the flange 26 may be rearwardly bent at an angle not quite whereby the side edge 74 thereof is spaced a slight distance from the side edge of the top and bottom walls 24 and '25, permitting easier insertion of .the extensions 32 of the shutters into bearing openings 31 of said walls. The spring Washers yS7 prevent the extensions from being axially displaced lfrom their journaled positions.

In FIG. 9 the register device is shown as installed in a typical system including an air duct 80 which is set into a wall and separated by layers of wall board and plaster 20. The duct has an opening 81 defined by walls S2. The register 10 is secured in place in the wall 20 covering the opening. The air travels up the duct and is intercepted by the shutters 34 and 36 shown fully open and extending in the air path as indicated by the arrows. A certain portion of the air is diverted through the paths created by the shutters 34 and 36 with their surfaces parallel and spaced `from each other by the linkage means 60 with which said shutters are pivotally associated. The diverted air passes through the register 10 and is directed in a circulatory pattern fby the louvre members 28 disposed in the housing 14. Notice that the cover plate i12 is only slightly extended into the area serviced while the main body of the register 10 does not extend into the main air path. The amount of air diverted by the shutters 34 and 36 is directly proportional to the angle at which the planar surfaces of the said shutters are disposed in the air path. The ilange 54 of the linkage means prevents the air stream from pushing the shutters upwards past the point of maximum interception. Should said stop means not be present, the shutters would be forced closed and the actuating member 45 would be disposed on the opposite side of the assembly away from possible manipulation and thus the register 10 would be rendered inoperative.

It is believed that this invention, its mode of construction and assembly and many of its advantages should be understood from the foregoing description and drawings without further amplification, and it should be manifest that although a preferred embodimentof the invention has been described in detail `for illustrative purposes, the specific details are nevertheless capable of Wide variation within the purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States are as follows:

1. A register device for controlling air flow in an air circulatory system comprising a cover plate having a window therein and adapted for securement to a wall substantially ush with said wall and over a duct opening of ysaid air circulatory system, a unitary housing xedly secu-red to the rear surface of said cover plate member covering the opening therein, said housingadapted to be formed from a blank and having a series of louvres integral therewith, at least one pair of shutters disposed within said housing and adapted to be opened and closed, actuating means also disposed within said housing whereby said shutters may be opened or closed from the exterior of said cover plate, each of said shutters comprising Va at rectangular relatively thin member having an arcuate rib formed therein along the length thereof parallel to one edge and spaced a short distance from saidedge,

extended portions integral with said rib and at both ends thereof, said extended portions being journalled in openings provided in said end walls of the housing, a tab member integral with said shutter and disposed perpendicular to the surface thereof extending in a direction opposite from `said rib, said tab member located at an end edgeV of said shutter adjacent the corner thereof, and said shutters arranged in the housing member with each of said tab members extending in the same plane, said tab mem- -bers being provided with openings therein and there is linkage means engageable therewith whereby actuating of one shutter will simultaneously actuate the second shutter in like manner, said linkage means comprising a rectangular plate member, said member being provided with openings at each end thereof, and each opening having a `cylindrical ange along its edge, said flange extending perpendicular to the flat surface of said plate member and adapted to be journalled for pivotal rotation in the openings formed in said tabs with their edges overlapping the inner surface of said tabs at said openings and stop means associated with said plate member to prevent said shutters from being moved further than their maximum open position, said stop means comprising an integral right angle narrow ange member extending from the elongate edge of said plate parallel to said front Wall of said housing andV facing inward from the edge thereof, said linkage plate member adapted to be moved in a direction whereby the edge flange thereof remains with its surface parallel to the undersurface of said cover plate member.

2. A register device for controlling air flow in an air circulatory system comprising a cover plate member having a Window therein and adapted for. securement t-o a wall substantially flush with said wall and over an air duct opening, an integral housing ixedly secured to the undersurface of said cover plate member, said housing having a `series of louvres integral therewith, at least one pair of `shutters disposed within said housing and journalled for limited rotation therein, actuating means also disposed within said housing whereby said shutters may be opened 'or closed from the exterior of said register device, each of said shutters comprising a flat rectangular relatively thin member having an arcuate rib formed therein along the length thereof parallel to one edge and spaced a short distance from said edge, extended portions integral with said rib and at both ends thereof, said extended portions being journalled in openings provided in said end walls of the housing, a tab member integral with said shutter and disposed perpendicular to the surface thereof extending rearwardly relative said cover plate, said tab member located at a corner side edge of said shutter adjacent the corner thereof, and said shutters disposed whereby said tab members extend in the same plane, said tab members being provided with openings therein and linkage means are provided between said shutter members, said linkage means comprising'a rectangular plate member, said member being provided with openings at each end thereof, and each latter opening having a cylindrical flange along its edge, said flange extending perpendicular to the surface of said plate member, said cylindrical flange being journalled for pivotal rotation in the openings formed in said tabs with their edges overlapping the inner surface of said tabs at said openings, and stop means associated with said plate member engageable with -said tabs to prevent said shutters from being moved further than their maximum open position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,354l Hayes Feb. 2, 1886 2,051,929 Young et al Aug. 25, 1936 2,137,426 Thompson Nov. 22, 1938 2,207,605 Wolfe July 9, 1940 2,784,659 De Roo et al Mar. 12, 1957 2,828,711 Smith et al Apr. l, 1958 2,985,093 Averill., May 23, 1961 -FORElGN PATENTS `172,648 switzerland Jan. 2, 1935 

